Paper 3, Section II, D

Applications of Quantum Mechanics | Part II, 2013

Write down the classical Hamiltonian for a particle of mass mm, electric charge e-e and momentum p moving in the background of an electromagnetic field with vector and scalar potentials A(x,t)\mathbf{A}(\mathbf{x}, t) and ϕ(x,t)\phi(\mathbf{x}, t).

Consider the case of a constant uniform magnetic field, B=(0,0,B)\mathbf{B}=(0,0, B) and E=0\mathbf{E}=0. Working in the gauge with A=(By,0,0)\mathbf{A}=(-B y, 0,0) and ϕ=0\phi=0, show that Hamilton's equations,

x˙=Hp,p˙=Hx,\dot{\mathbf{x}}=\frac{\partial H}{\partial \mathbf{p}}, \quad \dot{\mathbf{p}}=-\frac{\partial H}{\partial \mathbf{x}},

admit solutions corresponding to circular motion in the xyx-y plane with angular frequency ωB=eB/m\omega_{B}=e B / m.

Show that, in the same gauge, the coordinates (x0,y0,0)\left(x_{0}, y_{0}, 0\right) of the centre of the circle are related to the instantaneous position x=(x,y,z)\mathbf{x}=(x, y, z) and momentum p=(px,py,pz)\mathbf{p}=\left(p_{x}, p_{y}, p_{z}\right) of the particle by

x0=xpyeB,y0=pxeB.x_{0}=x-\frac{p_{y}}{e B}, \quad y_{0}=\frac{p_{x}}{e B} .

Write down the quantum Hamiltonian H^\hat{H} for the system. In the case of a uniform constant magnetic field discussed above, find the allowed energy levels. Working in the gauge specified above, write down quantum operators corresponding to the classical quantities x0x_{0} and y0y_{0} defined in (1) above and show that they are conserved.

[In this question you may use without derivation any facts relating to the energy spectrum of the quantum harmonic oscillator provided they are stated clearly.]

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